Brooks

The small city of Brooks is located within southeast Alberta, in the county of Newell. The Canadian Pacific Railway and the Trans Canada Highway run through the city, that is roughly 116 mi or 186 kilometres southeast of Calgary, and 68 mi or 110 kilometres northwest of Medicine Hat. The city has an elevation of 2,490 ft. or 760 m.

The region that is currently Brooks was originally utilized as a bison hunting ground for the Crow and Blackfoot. After Treaty 7 was signed in the year 1877, homesteaders moved into the area to begin farming. Before 1904, the region still did not have a name. Through a Canada Post sponsored contest, the area was named after Noel Edgell Brooks, a Canadian Pacific Railway Divisional Engineer from Calgary.

On July 14, 1910, the Community of Brooks was created, that became a town a year afterward. During the late 20th century, the city of Brooks experienced development thanks to the gas and oil business. In the early 1980s, its population increased from 5,000 to 8,000. In the year 1996, the population exceeded 10,000 because of expansion at Lakeside IBP meat packing plant. In the year 2005, Brooks became a city, with a population of approximately 13,000.

The Lakeside Leisure Centre is the region's main recreation centre. It includes two arenas, a curling rink, an aquatic centre along with a waterslide and wave pool, a fitness centre, a gymnasium, plus multipurpose rooms. The complex was renovated in the year 2005.

In 2010, the Duke of Sutherland Park was redeveloped. It features a soccer field, a playground, baseball diamonds and a 3,200 ft (980 m)² waterpark together with a play structure for older children and spray features for toddlers.

During the same year in 2010, the city completed the 18 month construction of the Centennial Regional Arena. This new multi-purpose facility could seat 1,704 people. It comprises corporate boxes, a running track, a 85' x 200' surface and concessions. The arena is home to some user groups, such as the Brooks Bandits.

The area surrounding the city of Brooks features three provincial parks, consisting of a World Heritage Site, Dinosaur Provincial Park, to the northeast, Kinbrook Island Provincial Park towards the south and Tillebrook Provincial Park to the east. Also, there are several other recreational sites within the area like for instance the Rolling Hills Reservoir, Crawling Valley Reservoir, and Emerson Bridge.

Situated south-east of Brooks is the Brooks Aqueduct, which was constructed to transport irrigation water to the Eastern Irrigation District. It spans across a 3.2 km valley, roughly 20m above the ground.

Brooks has two high schools, two junior high schools, three elementary schools, and two primary schools. It likewise has a satellite campus of the Medicine Hat College.